From the tough neighborhoods of Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, David Ortiz, through the persistence of his father, takes to the game that is in his and all Dominican boys’ DNA. Assimilating to the United States and the Major League game itself, however, is a more difficult process. Ortiz must navigate his way through a new culture and language, a new relationship, a team that won’t allow him to be himself, and ultimately, the tragic loss of his mother.

David Ortiz: The Big Papi Story

The Beginning

Ortiz goes from rock bottom, after the death of his mother and his unceremonious release by the Minnesota Twins, to a chance encounter that would change the trajectory of his life forever. But once again, the road for David Ortiz to become "Big Papi" had its obstacles. Certainly, the New York Yankees were one of them. Another, a tradition of losing in heartbreaking fashion would, once again find a new and creative way to break Red Sox Nation's collective heart. Along the way, take a deep dive into the "The Curse," and learn what it's really all about.

The Rise

“Big Papi” becomes an "Idiot." His personality puts him at the center of the Sox's crew of hilarious misfits, and he is the key ingredient.  His power carries the team, miraculously, to its first World Series title in 86 years. His confidence immediately washes away decades of dread in The Town that seemed to never catch a break. The Sox finally stand up to the bullies, "The Curse" is broken, and in doing so, Papi becomes a sensation in Boston, and a Red Sox immortal. 

The Hero

“Big Papi” brings the Sox two more titles. But along the way, the obstacles become much bigger. He has one of the worst slumps of his career, the media calls for his release, and finally, he's named in a PED scandal that rocks baseball and Papi's life. In typical Big Papi fashion, he bounces back, but then things get much darker in Boston in April of 2013. David Ortiz speaks for all of us when he addresses the city in its most trying moment, following the Marathon Bombing, and in doing so, he ingrains himself into the fabric of the city. Papi dominates the World Series that year to culminate an emotional season, and ultimately, he changes the generations old perception in Boston of what a hero looks and sounds like.​ 

The Legend

Coming on Patriots' Day April 16th, David Ortiz: The Big Papi Story captures the spirit of Boston, a city with no shortage of sports icons, and celebrates the rise of a man from the Dominican Republic who willed himself to greatness — and who, in the process, changed the culture of an entire city.  In addition to Ortiz’s successful playing career, the series will examine pivotal moments in his life off the field, from his difficult assimilation into American culture, to the sudden and tragic loss of his mother, to the raw emotion he shared with Hub fans following the tragic Boston Marathon bombing in 2013.​

Introduction to David Ortiz: The Big Papi Story

David Ortiz: The Big Papi Story captures the spirit of Boston, a city with no shortage of sports icons, and celebrates the rise of a man from the Dominican Republic who willed himself to greatness — and who, in the process, changed the culture of an entire city. In addition to Ortiz’s successful playing career, the series (Executive Produced by Emmy Award winner Zak Levitt and narrated by Michael Chiklis) will examine pivotal moments in his life off the field, from his difficult assimilation into American culture, to the sudden and tragic loss of his mother, to the raw emotion he shared with Hub fans following the tragic Boston Marathon bombing in 2013.​

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David Ortiz: The Big Papi Story

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